TEHRAN Discussions aimed at strengthening economic ties between Iran and Afghanistan took center stage this week in Kabul, as the head of Irans diplomatic mission, Alireza Bikdeli, participated in high-level meetings with key Taliban officials.A main focus of these conversations was the enhancement of trade and financial investment.
Bikdeli consulted with Afghanistans acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, who made a strong appeal for increased cooperation from Iranian businesses.Azizi stressed the requirement for a distinct, joint roadmap to facilitate a substantial expansion of trade between the 2 neighboring states, highlighting the potential for mutual economic benefit.
He suggested exploring new avenues for partnerships in various sectors, urging Iranian business to consider Afghanistan as an essential market and investment destination.In action, Bikdeli verified Irans undeviating commitment to prioritizing its relationships with surrounding countries, a core concept of its diplomacy, and revealed a desire to work carefully with Afghanistan to achieve these shared objectives.Earlier, Bikdeli likewise met with acting Foreign Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani to talk about a wider series of matters of mutual interest, additional showing the depth and scope of the bilateral engagement.The ongoing efforts to strengthen these ties come at a time when Iranian non-oil exports to Afghanistan have reached a significant $1.6 billion, a figure tape-recorded by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration as of November 20, 2024.